1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steamware system and more particularly pertains to maintaining foods warm when removed from a cooking area and placed on an unheated surface such as a table.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of culinary equipment of various designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, culinary equipment of various designs and configurations heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of preparing and maintaining foods at appropriate temperatures through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,946 to Rowan discloses Thermal Insulating Containers for Retaining Food and Beverage. U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,754 to Winkler discloses Dishes or Plats. U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,042 to Tolchin discloses a Container for Cooking Foods. U.S. Pat. No. 2,683,974 to Brown discloses a Child's Easy-Feeding Dish. U.S. Pat. No. 2,545,733 to Hatfield discloses a Child's Hot Food Dish. U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,722 to Wyatt discloses a Heat Retentive Server With Phase Change Core. U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,963 to Ludena discloses a Steam Cooker. U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,811 to Manganese discloses a Steam Cooking Device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,160 to Manganese discloses a Steam Cooking Device. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 120,995 to O'Sullivan discloses an Improvement in Dinner-Plate Covers.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe steamware systems that allow maintaining food at warm temperatures when placed on unheated surfaces.
In this respect, the steamware system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of maintaining foods warm when removed from a cooking area and placed on an unheated surface such as a table.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved steamware system which can be used for maintaining foods warm when removed from a cooking area and placed on an unheated surface such as a table. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.